Clamping tool



Nov. 14, 1933. J, C, BLUHM 1,935,009

CLAMPING TOOL Filed June 10, 1933 gmc/Wto@ acter are usually subjected. s

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES n* CLAMBING .'rooL y f VJohn c. Bluhm, Huntley, 1.11. Application June 10, 1933. Serial No.6'75,276 v s Claims.v (o1. lx11- 78) ,The present invention relates toan improved clamping tool of the combined plierrand wrench type. n Y l 1,

l An essentialfeature of the invention is to pro- 5 vide a simple, 4economical and eiiicientA clamping tool composed of a minimum number of parts and of suflicient power, strength and durability as to be capable of withstanding the exacting 1 Working conditions to which tools of this char- A further object is to provide a combined plier and wrench with a double or divided pivotal'fulcrum located at a point remote from Ythe clamping jaws andvwhich kextends in a direction opposite to the jaws so as to obtain the j s act with the arm 16 of the member `11,'in order Vmaximum leverage and insurevthe jaws engag Ving the work with a rm and positive grip.

YA further object c'omprehendsthe provision of a clamping tool in which the jaws may be readily y adjusted to fit work of various kinds and sizes.

-' 30 lines.

VFigure 2 is a plan view of 'Figure 1. VFigure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a plan view of one end of the tool, showing a further modification.

Referring to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts inthe several views, the clamping tool comprises a'pair. of handle mem- 40, bers 10 and 11 of substantially the same length.

Y.'50 tending lower jaw 17,which'r'nay be provided with an opening .18 through Vwhich the arm 14 extends, so that the jaws will align and be movedinto andy out of their clamping positions.

The members 10 and 11 are connected by 55.5 double or divided pivotal connection which may tioned and to operate in 'substantially `the, vsame be in thefqrm of a pair of unks 19 and 2o (Fig. 2), thatare movably connected to the` member `10 by ther pin 21 and secured to the memberll by theV pin 22 at the juncture of the handle portion or shank with the inclined arm 16. Ob- H0 viously a single link may equally be'employed forv pivotally connecting the members 10 and `11. In order that the maximum leverage may be obtained and the jaws be moved into rm engagement with the work, the pivotal fulcrum is vconnected to the member l0, so as toextend in a direction opposite to that of the jaws 15 and 17 and is located at points on the members 10 and 11 remote from the jaws.

The arm 14 of the member 10 is shapedto cothat the jaws may be f moved easily into` and out of Aclamping engagement. Additionally, thefarm 14 coacts with the inner wall of the opening 18 to limit the outward movement of the jaws when 24 and an intermediate curved or bent portion-80 25, which maybe revers'ely curved as'at 26,to providegthe substantially straight outwardly inclined arm 2 7 that terminates inthe lower laterally dis,- posed ytoothed jaw 28.. A member 29 ofshorter length than'rthe vhandle 24 has itsr inner end 30 provided with a lug or shoulder 3l Yand a cut-out portion 4l. The intermediateportion' of the member 29 is bent upwardly; to'forin `the arm 32 which extends through anopening V33 in the lower jaw 28'and terminates in the laterallyY disposed upper jaw 34. The handle portion 24 is connect! ed to the member `29 by a double pivotal connection 35, Athat is secured as at 36 to the member 29 andat 37 to'the handle,24so as to be posi-v manner as the link connection previously de`- scribed. InV order @to normally maintainA the jaws v28 and 34 in rtheir closedposition and also to insure thatv the work is firmly engaged bythe jaws without manual pressure being exerted on the member 29, a yieldable tensioning means Ais provided which may be in the form of a rod 38 secured at one end by a pin 39to an interme- Y diate portion of the pivotalconnection 35. The

Vopposite end of the rod 38 loosely extends into an 105 opening in the shoulder 31.

` A coil spring40 surrounds the rod 38' and is confined between'the shoulder 31 andthe pin 39 normally to urge the jawsitoward eachr other, so that when the jaws are opened and the spring compressed, the 4rod 110 may move axiallythrough the opening. The cutaway portion 41 of the arm 29 is so positioned as to be conveniently engaged bythe thumb of oppositerto the jaws. leverage effected by the location of the pivotal connection relative to the jaws gives rgreater powthe operator, as he grasps the handle 24, so that upon downward pressure being exerted on the cut-out portion 41, the jaws may be opened either to'engage or be released from the work. The tension of the spring 40 is sufficient to maintain the jaws iirmly in engagement with the work and the power thereof may be varied in accordance with theparticular kind of Work with which the tool is used.

Instead of providing one of the arms of the tool with an opening for receiving the lower clamping jaw, there is shown in Figure 5 a construction in which this opening is omitted and the intermediate arms 42 and 43 of the tool are shaped to cross or lap each other, so that the jaws 45 will be properly positioned'to be brought into and out of clamping engagement. 46 are pivotally connected to the handle portions 44 of the tool by the pins 47, and 48'in substantially the same manner as the link connection previously described, `so that the tool is constructed and. operates similar to the form shown in .either Figures l or 3.

It will be seen that by yreason of the present invention, there is provided a clamping tool of the combined plier and wrench type in which the clamping jaws will be brought firmly and positively into engagement with the work and in which the power and strength of the tool is materially enhanced due to the double pivotal connection being locatedat a point remote from the clamping jaws and extending'in a direction Moreover, the increased invention herewith showny and described are rmerely illustrative Aof preferred embodiments and in a laterally disposed upper jaw, the upper member having a handleportion andan intermediate laterally inclined arm crossing the curved arm ofthe lower member and terminating in a lower aw in alignment with said upper jaw, and a linked connection between saidjneinbers, said connection being pivotally secured to the upper member adjacent the inclinedarmthereof and pivotally secured to thearm of the lower member at apointbelow the. upper member. v

2. A tool of the class described including upper and lower clampingmembers, the upper member having ahandle portion at onel end and an intermediateinclined arm .terminating in a la'terally disposed toothed jaw, rsaid jaw having an opening therein, the lower member having an intermediate curved arm extending through said opening and terminating in a laterally disposed .toothed jaw in alignment with and above. said The links rst-mentioned jaw, and a linked connection between said members, said connection being pivotally secured to the upper member adjacent its inclined arm and'pivotally secured to the arm of the lower member at a point below the upper member.

3. A tool of the class described including upper and lower clamping members, the lower member Vhaving an intermediate curved arm terminating in a laterally disposedv upper jaw, the upper member having a handle portion and an intermediate laterally inclined arm crossing the curved arm of the lower member and terminating in a lower jaw in alignment with said upper jaw, `a linked connection between said members', said connection being pivotally secured to the upper member adjacent its inclined arm and pivotally secured to the arm of the lower member at a point "below the upper member, and

yieldable means confined between and connected to said link connection and one of said mem- .bers for normallywmaintaining the jaws in their member having an intermediate curved arm ter-"' ber at a point below the upper member, said lower member having a shoulder thereon, and yieldable means confined betweenand connected to said link connection and said shoulder for normally maintainingl the jaws in their closed position.

A5. A'toolof the class described including upper and'lower clamping members, the upper member having a handle portion at one end and an inclined arm terminating in a laterally disposed lower j arti/said .lowerV member being shorter than ,the upper member andhaving a shoulder adjacent its inner end, the intermediate portion of the lower member being curved and Vextending across said upper member and terminating in a laterally disposed upper jaw in alignment with the lower jaw, a link connection pivotally secured to said members,and yieldable means connedhbetween and connected to said'link'connection and said shoulder for normallyumain-` taining thejaws in their closed position.

6. A tool of Ithe class described including-upper and lower Aclamping members, the upper member lhaving a handle portion at one'end and an in- "clined arm terminating in a laterally disposed iso lower jaw, said lower member being shorter than i the kupper member and having a shoulder adjacent its inner end, the intermediate portion'of the lower member being curved Vand extending across said upper member and l,terniinating in.

a laterally disposed upper jaw in 'alignment with the lower jaw, a link connection pivotally secured to saidmembers, yieldable means conned between, and connected to said link connection land said shoulder' for normally vmaintaining they jaws in their. closed position, and means onthe .lower ymember for permitting the actuation of the jaws the lthumb of ,the operator.

JOHN c. 'BL-Uni'i/IL'v 

